VSA arts of Arizona
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3321 North Chapel Avenue |
Barbara Yorkis |
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Tel.: (520) 795-6502 |
Organizational Profile:
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Full-time Staff: 1 |
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The mission of VSA arts of Arizona is to provide inclusive opportunities for participation in the arts for persons with and without disabilities, as well as those who are disadvantaged and at risk.
Programming Partners and Other Funders:
The Arizona Commission on the Arts; Tucson Pima Arts Council; Tucson Unified School District; Amphitheater School District; The Arizona Community Foundation; The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona; The Women’s Foundation for Southern Arizona; The Center for Culture in Hermosillo, Mexico; Whitmore Elementary PTA
Educational Programs and Artist Residencies
Teacher-Student Training Programs
VSA arts of Arizona provides yearlong teacher-student training programs at various sites throughout the state. As part of a three-year commitment, teachers will work with artists to learn methodologies, such as focused skill development using sequential techniques; inquiry-based educational instruction; development of vocabulary and encouragement of independent ideas; reflective time in journaling; and skills in building a cooperative learning environment.
The relationship transfers “teaching” from the artist to the teacher during the three-year mentoring model. Artist and teacher use a curriculum specific to the student population; pre- and post-testing of skills and knowledge; a skills list to identify when skills are mastered; the Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project methodologies coupled with implementation of Gardner’s theories on multiple intelligences; rubrics; and both summative and formative evaluations. The artist and teacher will meet each month to discuss specific factors identified in a research project undertaken by VSA arts of Arizona and funded by the Arizona Art Education Research Institute.
After-School Arts Program
VSAA is starting an after-school arts program that will run for the full school year. During that time participating students will work in a specific art form for seven hours. Topics will change to encourage wide participation. Two after-school programs will run for FY 08.
Professional Development and Technical Assistance
Artist Training
VSA arts of Arizona provides monthly training programs for artists during the school year, and for approximately 50 to 60 hours during the summer. The affiliate brings together artists, administrators, teachers, and consultants for training sessions focused on specific topics, such as how children learn and methods of evaluation. Evaluation sessions have explored gathering information in relation to required and elective data collection, and to VSA arts of Arizona and national VSA arts goals that have led to the identification of a set of research-based benchmarks. VSA arts of Arizona also provides disability awareness training on an as-needed basis to all who request it.
Building Your Career
VSA arts of Arizona will continue the career development dialogue and assistance program that was initiated in October 2005. VSA arts of Arizona and the Arizona Commission on the Arts launched a program for artists with disabilities with a conference, “Building Your Career.” The conference, held in Scottsdale, brought together both professional artists who shared their stories and professionals in public and private service groups who described what their organizations offer artists with disabilities. Individual career plans created by each participant were reviewed. A second conference was held in late January in Maricopa County as part of the Southwest Arts Conference. Attendees of the October conference are receiving updates and information on a regular basis. Since the conference, VSA Arts of Arizona has facilitated the opening of a gallery in Phoenix under the name PACO. Exhibitions have been held, in addition to monthly open houses in conjunction with the Phoenix First Friday Nights tours that bus participants to specific galleries.
Training for Artists with Disabilities
VSAA will provide workshops for artists with disabilities in various areas of interest including benefits programs, the business of being an artist, federal and state opportunities for individual artists with disabilities, Web site inclusion, and other topics as suggested by artists in Arizona.
Cultural Access and Inclusive Arts Services
VSAA will participate with Artability
Artability and VSAA will survey the population of people with disabilities regarding their participation in the arts as consumers and creators. The results of this survey will be used to enhance future programming for both groups. VSAA will respond to interests in learning new art forms by providing training at the PACO Gallery space in Phoenix.
Public Awareness and Outreach
Public Awareness Activities
VSA arts of Arizona’s 2008 public awareness activities will focus on the development of a fully accessible Web site to highlight the work of adult artists with disabilities, as well as the work of artists, teachers, and students in youth programming.
(F) 202-429-0868